Method for providing a best guess for an intended recipient of a message

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a method for providing a best guess for a recipient of a message. The method includes identifying a pattern in the message; searching for the pattern in a pattern list comprising one or more patterns for each addressee in an address list; registering an addressee in a hit list when the pattern is in the pattern list; and determining a first addressee from the hit list and providing the first addressee as a best guess as a recipient of the message.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of invention

[0002] The invention relates to a method for guessing an intendedrecipient of a message such as transmitted between two communicationterminals in a wireless telecommunication network. In particular, thisinvention relates to a method for providing a best guess of a recipientof a message based on contents of the message.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] The number of transmissions of messages in a computer ortelecommunication network has in the recent years increasedsignificantly. The short message service (SMS), and more recently themultimedia message service (MMS), have become important tools forhandling business and common daily routines. Similarly, use of e-mailshas accelerated communication between parties as well as expanded thegeographical potential of communication between parties separated bygreat distances.

[0005] Lately, communication terminals have evolved to perform, inaddition to voice communication, generation and transmission of textmessages such as SMS messages as well as MMS messages comprising avideo, picture or audio sequence. Furthermore, the communicationterminals have evolved to include personal office assistant featuressuch as calendar, address book, and even e-mail functions.

[0006] Due to the fact that the telecommunication message services andthe e-mail services have increased, the number of applications toadministrate, edit and handle messages have evolved.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,647, which hereby is incorporated byreference in the present specification, discloses a system and methodfor performing an action on a structure in computer generated data. Thesystem and method identifies structures in computer data and associatesspecific actions with the structures. The user of the system or methodenables the selection of an action and automatically performs theselected action on the identified structured. For example, when thesystem or method identifies an address using the “e-mail addressgrammar”, actions for sending e-mails to the identified address andputting the identified address in an e-mail address book are linked tothe address. However, the system or method during parsing of thecomputer data fails to provide means for automatically identifying arecipient of a message. In addition, the system or method relatesentirely to a computer.

[0008] Further, the present messaging technology requires a user tomanually input a recipient of a message or manually pick a recipientfrom a contact list. This obviously increases the overall transmissiontime of a message over a network.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention provides a method overcoming thelimitations and deficiency of previous methods.

[0010] The present invention provides an automated way of providing abest guess of a recipient of a message, which best guess issimultaneously generated from the message it self.

[0011] A particular aspect of the present invention is a method whichsimplifies communication between any number of communicating users of anetwork since the users may focus on the content of the communicationrather than the addressing of the communication.

[0012] A particular feature of the present invention relates to thelanguage detecting feature identifying the language of a message and onthe basis of the language determining possible recipients.

[0013] The above advantages and features together with numerous otheradvantages and features, which will become evident from below detaileddescription, is obtained according to a first aspect of the presentinvention by a method for providing a best guess for a recipient of amessage comprising:

[0014] (a) identifying a pattern in the message;

[0015] (b) searching for the pattern in a pattern list comprising one ormore patterns for each addressee in an address list;

[0016] (c) registering an addressee in a hit list when the pattern is inthe pattern list; and

[0017] (d) determining a first addressee from the hit list and providingthe first addressee as a best guess for a recipient of the message.

[0018] The pattern according to the first aspect of the presentinvention may be identified in the message using a parser.

[0019] Hence the method may enable simultaneous entering of a messageand identification of a recognizable pattern.

[0020] The message according to the first aspect of the presentinvention may comprise text matter, however it will be appreciated thatthe method may operate on recognizable patterns for images, series ofimages, video streams, series of video stream, audio recordings, seriesof audio recordings, or any combination thereof.

[0021] The message according to the first aspect of the presentinvention may comprise a short message service format, unstructuredsupplementary service data, a multimedia messaging format, an e-mailformat, or any combinations thereof.

[0022] The pattern according to the first aspect of the presentinvention may comprise key words, key sounds, key image characteristics,or any combination thereof. Key words to be identified may comprisenames (words starting with a capitol letter), unique words or a uniqueconstellation of symbols (i.e. words or symbol constellations a match ina communication terminal's word dictionary), all words beyond apredetermined length, words in a foreign language, or any combinationthereof.

[0023] The method according to the first aspect of the present inventionmay be implemented on a communication terminal such as a cellular ormobile phone, a personal digital assistant, or any combination thereof.Obviously, the method may further be implemented in a computer system ora computer program.

[0024] The method according to the first aspect of the present inventionmay further comprise recording of the pattern in the pattern list for aspecific addressee in the address list. The method is a self learningprocedure, where, in case the method fails to identify an addressee inthe address list and thus cannot provide a best guess, then the methodrecords the user interaction selecting a specific addressee for themessage.

[0025] Other self-learning procedures for example such using artificialneural networks can be envisioned according to the present invention.

[0026] The method according to the first aspect of the present inventionfurther comprises determining a second addressee from the hit list andproviding the second addressee as a second best guess for a recipient ofthe message. In fact, the method may comprise a range of addressees andmay provide a prioritized guess for the range of addressees, the rangecomprising up to 10 addressees in the hit list. In case no addresseesare identified the method may initiate a learning procedure and recordthe user's manually selected or typed addressee and associate one ormore patterns from the message with that particular addressee.

[0027] The pattern list according to the first aspect of the presentinvention may comprise a range of patterns for each addressee in theaddress list such as up to 5 patterns, up to 10 patterns or up to 20patterns. The limitation for applying a plurality of patterns to eachaddressee obviously being the storage capacity, the gain of increasingnumber of patterns for each addressee is improved probability of successin guessing the right addressee.

[0028] The method according to the first aspect of the present inventionmay further comprise weighting of identified patterns in accordance witha weighting scheme. The weighting scheme may comprise weighting patternscomprising names in the beginning of the message with highest priority.Hence making a first guess based on the prioritized hits and utilizingsecondary hits in case of multiple addressees being the best guess. Inaddition, the weighting scheme may comprise weighting patternscomprising unique words or a unique constellation of symbols or numberswith a second highest priority, patterns comprising words beyond apredetermined length with a third highest priority, patterns comprisingwords in a foreign language a fourth highest priority. By enlarging theweighting scheme the method may arrive at a best guess fast.

[0029] The method according to the first aspect of the present inventionmay further comprise measuring frequency of patterns used for anaddressee in the address list, that is, a number telling how many tiesper sent message that the specific word has been used in a message tothat recipient. This element provides a further improved probability ofguessing the right addressee for the message.

[0030] The addressee in the address list according to the presentinvention may be recorded by a name, street address, telephone number,email address, or any combination thereof. The addressee may further berecorded in the address list with a note section containingmiscellaneous information such as birthday or anniversaries.

[0031] The method according to the present invention may furthercomprise searching for a pattern in a message stored in thecommunication terminal. For example, a message in the inbox or the sentitems archive may be searched for a key word written in the message thatis to be sent.

[0032] The method according to the present invention may furthercomprise performing a semantic analysis of the message. A more powerfulsemantic analysis of, for example, a written text could be done and fromthis semantic data a recipient could be derived with good accuracy.

[0033] The above advantages and features together with numerous otheradvantages and features, which will become evident from below detaileddescription, is obtained according to a second aspect of the presentinvention by a system for providing a best guess for a recipient of amessage comprising:

[0034] (a) a first user interface for enabling a user of the system torecord the message;

[0035] (b) an identification module for identifying a pattern in themessage;

[0036] (c) a address list comprising one or more records and a patternlist for recording the pattern and for associating the pattern with arecord of the one or more records; and

[0037] (d) a suggestion module for presenting the record associated withthe pattern on a second user interface.

[0038] The system according to the second aspect of the presentinvention may comprise a communication terminal such as a such as acellular or mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, or anycombination thereof. The system may incorporate any elements of themethod according to a second aspect of the present invention and mayadvantageously be implemented in a cellular or mobile phone so as toenable an user of the phone to record a message and utilizing the systemto identify a recipient of the message.

[0039] The identification module according to the second aspect of thepresent invention may record the pattern concurrently with the userrecords the message. The system thus effectively and quickly provides asuggestion for a recipient of the message. The identification module mayfurther identify the pattern and record the pattern temporarily in acell. Additionally and alternatively, the identification module mayidentify the pattern and record the pattern by linking a pointer to thepattern, copying the pattern, recording position of the pattern in themessage, or any combination thereof. The system thereby may fulfill anycustomer specific requirements in this regard.

[0040] Each record of the one or more records in the address listaccording to the second aspect of the present invention may furthercomprise a name, street address, telephone number, email address, or anycombination thereof. The record may in addition comprise a note fieldfor recording elements relevant for the persons in the address list,i.e. birthdays or anniversaries.

[0041] The identification module according to the second aspect of thepresent invention may further determine whether the pattern is presentin the pattern list, and if the pattern list does not comprise thepattern, then the pattern is recorded in the pattern list. The patternlist may associate an unrecorded pattern identified in the message witha first record, when a user of the system selects the first record asrecipient of the message. That is, the system is a self learning systemrecording a pattern and associating the pattern with a specific recordfollowing a user's selection of a record for receiving the messagecontaining the pattern.

[0042] The system according to the second aspect of the presentinvention may incorporate any features of the method according to firstaspect of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The above, as well as additional objects, features and advantagesof the present invention, will be better understood through thefollowing illustrative and non-limiting detailed description ofpreferred embodiments of the present invention, with reference to theappended drawing, wherein:

[0044]FIG. 1, shows a method according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0045]FIG. 2, shows a method according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention; and

[0046]FIG. 3, shows a system according to a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0047] In the following description of the various embodiments,reference is made to the accompanying drawing comprising FIGS. 1 and 2,and which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way ofillustration a preferred embodiment in which the invention may bepracticed. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilizedand structural and functional modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

[0048]FIG. 1 shows a method, designated in entirety by reference numeral10, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The firststep 12 in the method 10 is when the user has inputted a message, inthis case a text message, and indicates that the message is ready to besent by giving a SEND command. The method 10 enters a second step 14searching through the message for the first key word, which is comparedto the words saved in the phonebooks entries' pattern lists during athird step 16. If the key word is found in a pattern list during afourth step 18, the entry having that pattern list is added to the hitlist or, if already on the hit list, placed in a higher position on thehit list according to how many key words that have been found in itspattern list during a fifth step 20. The method 10 then searches for thenext key word in a sixth step 22 and if another key word is found themethod 10 repeats the steps 18, 20 and 22 until the end of the messagehas been reached determined in a seventh step 24. The hit list is thensearched in a eight step 26, for entries constituting a good guess, i.e.entries having more than a pre-specified number of hits, whichpre-specified number should be in the range of 1 to 5. A good guesscould also be the five entries in the hit list having the most hits.These best guesses are the presented to the user during a ninth step 28.

[0049] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention each wordof a message is checked if it is a key word as it is written. This canbe done using a predictive text input mechanism or searching the patternlist for the previously written word every time a space-character isentered.

[0050] If no guesses can be made, i.e. if the hit list is empty, thenormal possible recipients are shown to the user.

[0051] In a further alternative embodiment of the present invention theaddressees in the hit list are shown together with the normal possiblerecipients for the message.

[0052]FIG. 2, shows a method designated in entirety by reference numeral100, which method is a second embodiment of the present invention. Themethod 100 is implemented on a communication terminal such as a cellularor mobile phone comprising a message editor for writing text messages, aaddress list containing a series of addressees, which may or may not beassociated with key words in a pattern list. The pattern may be found byusing for example the T9-dictionary of a communication terminal.

[0053] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention thecellular or mobile phone comprises an editor for writing and editingtext, images, series of images, videos, series of videos, audiorecordings, series of audio recordings, or any combination thereof.

[0054] The method 100 is initiated during a start step 102, during whichthe fundamental requirements such as re-establishing pointers andupdating required memory area is performed.

[0055] Following the start step 102 the method 100 continues on toinitiate parsing of a message in step 104. The words in the message areinvestigated during the following steps. The message may in a firstembodiment of the present invention be investigated concurrently withthe message is being written, or may in a second embodiment of thepresent invention be investigated subsequent to a specific symbol suchas “.”, “,”, “_”, or any combination thereof has been written in themessage. Further, in a third embodiment of the present invention theinvestigation of the message is commenced following a user requesting a“send message” function, or in a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention the investigation of the message is commenced following a timedelay of 1 to 60 seconds.

[0056] The investigation of the message starts in step 106, during whicheach word of the message is examined so as to determine whether theycontain a capitol letter. In case the word contains a capitol letter themethod 100 proceeds to step 108, during which the pattern list isexamined so as to determine whether the pattern list contains a matchingkey word.

[0057] If one of the first words in the message contains a capitolletter it is likely to comprise the name of the recipient hence duringstep 110 following step 108, the method 100 determines whether one ofthe first five words in the message contains a capitol letter. In casethe one of the first five words in the message contains a capitol lettera priority level 3 is assigned during step 112 otherwise a prioritylevel 2 is assigned during step 114. By assigning a priority level themethod 100 improves the probability of identifying the correct recipientamong the addressees in the address list. The priority level 3 is thehighest priority whereas priority level 1 is the lowest priority. Inalternative embodiments further priority levels may be implemented.

[0058] The investigated word recognized in the pattern list during step108 has one or more associated addressees, which during step 116 areregistered as potential recipients of the message.

[0059] If during step 108 no key word is identified in the pattern listor during step 106 no capitol letter is identified in the investigatedword then the method 100 proceeds to step 118, during which isdetermined whether or not the investigated word is a unique word. Aunique word should in this context be construed as a constellation ofsymbols, letters or numbers, which unique word not necessarily has ameaning to others than the writer and receiver of the message.

[0060] If the investigated word is unique the method 100 proceeds tostep 120, during which the pattern list is examined so as to determinewhether the pattern list contains a matching key word.

[0061] If the investigated word may be identified in the pattern listduring step 120, the method 100 proceeds to step 122 assigning apriority level 1. Subsequently, during step 124, addressees having theinvestigated word as a key word are registered as potential recipientsof the message.

[0062] If the investigated word is not identified in the pattern listduring step 120, the method 100 proceeds to step 126. In step 126previously sent messages are examined so as to determine whether theinvestigated word is contained therein. If the investigated word is partof a previously sent message, the method 100 during step 128 is assigneda priority level 1 and subsequently during step 130 the receivers ofthese previously sent messages containing the investigated word areregistered as potential recipients of the present message.

[0063] If the investigated word is not identified in the pattern listduring step 120 and in the previously sent messages, the method 100proceeds to step 132. In step 132 previously received messages areexamined so as to determine whether the investigated word is containedtherein. If the investigated word is part of a previously receivedmessage, the method 100 during step 134 is assigned a priority level 1and subsequently during step 136, the senders of these previouslyreceived messages containing the investigated word are registered aspotential recipients of the present message.

[0064] The above described investigation of a word in the message isconcluded in step 138, during which the method 100 determines whetherthe actual investigation position in the message is at the end of fileor not, i.e. is the investigation of the complete message concluded. Ifthe investigation is not concluded, the method 100 proceeds to step 140during which the following word in the message is determined and theprocess returns to step 106. On the other hand, if the investigation isconcluded, the method 100 proceeds to step 142 during which thepotential recipients are sorted. The recipient may be sorted after nameof addressee, number investigated words are in the pattern lists andassociated with the addressee, priority level count, or any combinationthereof.

[0065] Finally, the method 100 concludes in step 144 during which themethod 100 makes itself available for further parsing of messages.

[0066]FIG. 3, shows a system designated in entirety by reference numeral200 and according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.The system 200 may incorporated any of the above described method 10 or100 and may be implemented in any communication terminal such as amobile or cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, a computer, orany combination thereof.

[0067] The system 200 comprises a plurality of user interfacesdesignated by reference numeral 202. Any number of user interfaces maybe implemented for each procedure to be handled by the system 200. Inparticular, the plurality of user interfaces 202 comprises a messageeditor 204 enabling a user of the system 200 to record a message 206.While the user records the message 206, the message 206 issimultaneously examined by a identification module 208 for identifyingpatterns in the message 206, such patterns as illustrated by a pattern210.

[0068] The identification module 208 identifies the pattern 210 andrecords the pattern 210 temporarily in a cell 212. The identificationmodule 208 may obviously record the pattern 210 by linking a pointer tothe pattern 210, copying the pattern 210, recording position of thepattern 210 in the message 206, or any combination thereof.

[0069] The system 200 further comprises a address list 214 containingone or more records, which one or more records are designated inentirety by reference numeral 216. Each record in the address listcontains a name, street address, telephone number, email address, or anycombination thereof.

[0070] The records 216 in the address list 214 may be linked to apattern in a pattern list 218. For example, a record 220 is linkedthrough pointers 222, 224 and 226 to patterns 228, 230 and 232respectively.

[0071] The identification module 208 determines whether the pattern 210is present in the pattern list 218, illustrated by a questioner box 234and arrow 236. If the pattern list 218 does not contains the pattern 210the pattern 210 is recorded in the pattern list 218 and associated witha record later.

[0072] A record 238 does not necessarily link to a pattern in thepattern list 218. However, when a message is forwarded, the system 200associates patterns identified in the message with the record 238, whena user of the system 200 has selected the record 238 container thereceiver for the message.

[0073] If on the other hand the pattern 210 is contained in the patternlist, a suggestion module 240 registers the associated records 242linked to the pattern 210 in the pattern list 218. The suggestion module240 presents the records 242 linked to the pattern 210 on a messagetransmission user interface 244. The user of the system 200 then mayselect from the suggested receivers of the message and transmit themessage.

1-22. (canceled)
 23. A method for providing a best guess for a recipientof a message comprising: (a) identifying a pattern in the message; (b)searching for the pattern in a pattern list comprising one or morepatterns for each addressee in an address list; (c) registering anaddressee in a hit list when the pattern is in the pattern list; and (d)determining a first addressee from the hit list and providing the firstaddressee as a best guess as a recipient of the message.
 24. The methodaccording to claim 23, wherein the pattern is identified in the messageusing a parser.
 25. The method according to claim 23, wherein themessage comprises at least one of text matter, images, at least oneseries of images, video streams, at least one series of video streams,audio recordings, at least one series of audio recordings.
 26. Themethod according to claim 23, wherein the message comprises at least oneof a short message service format, an unstructured supplementary servicedata, a multimedia messaging format, and an e-mail format.
 27. Themethod according to claim 23, wherein the pattern comprises at least oneof key words, key sounds and key image characteristics.
 28. The methodaccording to claim 27, wherein the key words comprise at least one ofnames, unique words or a constellation of symbols or numbers, wordsbeyond a predetermined length, and words in a foreign language.
 29. Themethod according to claim 28, wherein the method is implemented in acommunication terminal.
 30. A method in accordance with claim 29,wherein the communication terminal comprises a cellular or mobile phone,a personal digital assistant, or any combination thereof.
 31. The methodaccording to claim 23, comprising recording of the pattern in thepattern list for a specific addressee in the address list.
 32. Themethod according to claim 23, comprising determining a second addresseein the hit list and providing the second addressee as a second bestguess for a recipient of the message.
 33. The method according to claim23, comprising a range of addressees in the hit list and providing aprioritized guess for the range of addressees, the range comprising 1 to10 addressees in the hit list.
 34. The method according to claim 23,wherein the pattern list comprises a range of patterns for eachaddressee in the address list comprising from 1 pattern to 20 patterns.35. The method according to claim 23, comprising weighting identifiedpatterns in accordance with a weighting scheme.
 36. The method accordingto claim 23, comprising measuring a frequency of patterns used for anaddressee in the address list.
 37. A system for providing a best guessfor a recipient of a message comprising: (a) a first user interface forenabling an user of the system to record the message; (b) anidentification module for identifying a pattern in the message; (c) aaddress list comprising one or more records and a pattern list forrecording the pattern and for associating the pattern with a record ofthe one or more records; and (d) a suggestion module for presenting therecord associated with the pattern on a second user interface.
 38. Asystem according to claim 37, wherein the system comprises acommunication terminal.
 39. A system in accordance with claim 38,wherein the communication terminal comprises a cellular or mobile phone,a personal digital assistant, or any combination thereof.
 40. A systemaccording to claim 38, wherein the identification module records thepattern concurrently with the user recording the message.
 41. A systemaccording to claim 38, wherein the identification module identifies thepattern and records the pattern temporarily in a cell.
 42. A systemaccording to claim 37, wherein the identification module identifies thepattern and records the pattern by at least one of linking a pointer tothe pattern, copying the pattern, recording position of the pattern inthe message, or any combination thereof.
 43. A system according to claim37, wherein each record of the one or more records in the address listcomprises at least one of a name, street address, telephone number andan email address.
 44. A system according to claim 37, wherein theidentification module determines whether the pattern is present in thepattern list, and if the pattern list does not comprise the pattern,then the pattern is recorded in the pattern list.
 45. A system accordingto claim 37, wherein the pattern list associates an unrecorded patternidentified in the message with a first record, when a user of the systemselects the first record as recipient of the message.